Niño de Pura

Niño de Pura, flamenco guitar

A pupil of Sevillian maestros Manuel Lozano and Manolo Carmona, Daniel Navarro Cruz, better known as Niño de Pura, started playing guitar professionally at an early age while accompanying his brother, dancer Jose Joaquin. His most influential teacher was Manolo Sanlucar, considered an iconic flamenco musician, educator, and guitarist in Spain with a list of highly accomplished pupils including Vicente Amigo.

Niño de Pura was born in Seville in 1966. From a very early age, he began to enter contests, and became one of the most prize-winning guitarist in Spain. Foremost among his prizes are First prize of the Flamencology Professorship of Jerez, First prize of the Flamenco Guitar Young Performers Contest at Seville’s 3rd Bienal of Flamenco Art, the Bordon Minero of La Union’s Las Minas Festival, the Zipa de Oro 1985 prize from the Colombian press, and the Giraldillo del Toque of Seville’s 6th Bienal of Flamenco Art.

In the mid-1980s, Niño joined the international circuit, with his first concert tour around South America. At the same time, he accompanied top-rate singers and dancers, both in concert and in recording studios. From the late eighties to the early nineties, he recorded on all the Spanish television stations and toured Japan with the show Estrellas de la Bienal (Stars of the Bienal). Niño de Pura recorded his first solo album in 1986: Capricho de bohemia. Following this record was Caliente in 1991 which featured both his own compositions and original arrangements. He soon became a highly sought-after studio musician, composer and arranger/writer for record companies and producers. His best-known songs and studio productions from this period are ‘Acero frio’ and ‘Orzo Rom’ by Aurora Vargas and Por la bahia by Pansequito. In 1993, he composed ‘Mas alla de la luz’ for solo guitar and chamber orchestra, a work which premiered at the Reales Alcazares in Seville. His third solo album was Maquida released in 1996. His last release was ‘Pozo y caudal’, an album on which he is accompanied by guest artists Carles Benavent, Tino di Geraldo, La Macanita, and Rafael de Utrera.

On dance stage, he composed a part of ‘El Perro Andaluz’ for the Andalusian Dance Company directed by Maria Pages, and in 1998, for Jose Joaquin’s Company he composed the music for their show Sansueña. Together with guitarist Manolo Franco, he presented the show ‘Compadres’ at Seville’s 1999 Bienal which was later presented in Guadalajara (Mexico). One year later, he performed in the joint concert titled Guitarra Amiga with guitarists Manolo Franco, Miguel Angel Cortes, and Pedro Sierra. In 2001, he appeared at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (Holland) before more than two thousand people with his show titled ‘Todo Corazón’.

Alberto Sellés (San Fernando, 1991) is one of the most remarkable young talents of the contemporary flamenco scene and undoubtedly a new rising star. He stems from the lyrical San Fernando, situated at the Cadiz bay. San Fernando has always been an important source of flamenco talent. Camaron de la Isla, for instance, comes from this region. In 1998, he participated in the finale of a competition in Oviedo (Asturia), as the representant of Andalucia. In ’99 he took up courses of choreography and flamenco dance with Antonio El Pipa in Jerez de la Frontera. The latter has remained an important tutor for Alberto Sellés. Starting in the year 2000, he also took private lessons with Angelita Gomez in Jerez. He furthermore was schooled by Farruquito, Angel Muñoz and Fuensanta “La Moneta”, amongst others. In 2007, he won the renowned competition for flamenco dance in Ubrique, an accomplishment which he repeated in 2008. Since 2010, he has been working as a teacher at the Fundacion Cristina Heeren in Seville. He is actually touring through Spain with his very first personal creation called “En Libertad”, and preparing for his first tour abroad. His style impresses because of his energy and technical control, but in the end Alberto Sellés is foremost an exceptionally elegant and inspired flamenco dancer.

CHURUMBAQUE HIJO, vocal

The singer Carlos Espejo Rafael Moreno, better known in the art world as ‘Churumbaque hijo’, being the son of Manuel Espejo “Churumbaque” was born in Córdoba on 22 April 1971. He acquired his knowledge listening to singers and from the age of 11 he attended gatherings and performed in concerts organized by his family. Since age 19, he has worked in the Tablao El Cardenal and has appeared in various international festivals, including Tijuana in Mexico, El Hatillo in Venezuela, and the Hong Kong Festival. He has shared the stage with singers Luis de Córdoba, “El Cabrero”, José Mercé or ‘The Strip’ and guitarists Nino de Pura and Merengue among others. Churumbaque hijo has recorded an album titled Flamenco Puro and was a finalist in the National Flamenco Art of Cordoba in Cantes Levante. He won the First Prize ‘Tarantas’ XLVII International Festival of Cante de las Minas de La Union (2007 ). Currently, he teaches at the Conservatory of Music in Cordoba. He has toured with the Society of Rosa Montoya, with the work Poeta, of Vicente Amigo, and also with the Society of Eva La Yerbabuena.

AGUSTIN HENKE, percussion

Agustin Henke was born in Seville’s flamenca neighbourhood, the legendary Macarena. He learned flamenca percussion at an early age with the prestigious Manueli Soler. Later on, he took part in shows such as “Por aquí te quiero ver„ together with bailaores Javier Baron, Israel Galvan or Rafael de Carmen, guitarist Pedro Sierra and the cantaora La Tobala. His most famous shows include “La Tirana„ or “Flamenco Republic„ by the María Pagés Company. He has recorded with the greatest names in Spanish flamenco, and currently accompanies artists such as El Niño de Pura, J. Antonio Rodríguez, Pedro Sierra, Carmen Linares, Manolo Franco, Cantores de Híspalis, and Juana Amaya. Besides the cajón, his remarkable adaptability endowed him with mastery of the djembe, the Hindu tablas, or the crótalos, while accompanying himself with a half drum kit, congas, pandero, or even tinaja. Today, he is one of the most sought-for percussionists in Spain, both on stage and in recording studios.

MARIA JOSE ALVAREZ TINOCO, dance

Maria Jose Alvarez Tinoco born in Huelva, Spain in 1968 and at age 12 began receiving flamenco dance classes with Carmen Giralde and then the prestigious dancer Jose Joaquin. Later she joined the company dancing and as an instructor teaching classes. She has participated in numerous recordings of flamenco and has been touring with “Niño de Pura” for the last 10 years.